


Jackie O Thing, The

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-08-14
Updated: 2007-08-14
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:43:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: "C'mon Mrs. McGarry, you are being quite elusive."





	Jackie O Thing, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

“Oh God, I was not aware that both of you were attending today.”

Greg Brock stood as CJ McGarry, Nora Ziegler, and an entourage walked into 15 Ria. It was a snowy Wednesday afternoon, which meant the place was less crowded than usual. Still, at 70% full everyone wanted to gawk at the tall, graceful, beautiful, and famous woman. Her entourage, including Special Agents Bill Grayson and Sylvie Spiegel, and Agents Lucy Jefferson and Steve Parker, tried to keep her at a friendly distance. An enthusiastic woman in her early 20s waved at her so CJ stopped to chat and posed for a few cell phone photographs. She also signed a few napkins. Not wanting to cause too much of a diversion, her Secret Service team ushered her over to a semi-secluded table where the reporter waited.

“Is there a problem Gregory?” Nora asked, accepting a soft kiss on the cheek. She sat as CJ did the same.

“Of course there is a problem. I only have a set amount of time and I am unable to decide which of you I should flirt with more. The Second Lady is going to do Katharine Hepburn you will do Bette Davis and both my Cary Grant and Claude Rains are quite rusty. This is highly unfair ladies; I am going to look like a boob.”

After a few moments of silence, in which CJ watched her agents do their thing, she burst into giddy laughter.

“Greg I swear, if this New York Times thing doesn’t work out for you, you have got to take this show on the road.”

“Anything to see you smile Mrs. McGarry.”

A server approached the table to take their order. Nora wanted a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon; CJ thought that sounded good and ordered the same thing. Greg ordered a cup of coffee. The Second Lady studied her menu as the reporter slid a small digital recorder across the table and turned it on.

“Oh wow, let’s jump right in.”

“Well I would prefer all day of your company to chat but we both know I can’t have that. How about we get right to it? Three and a half years in the Naval Observatory…eleven and a half years in the White House. How do you keep it fresh?”

“It’s my job. I don’t receive a paycheck as Second Lady of the United States, but I am highly visible and I can use that to my advantage. It is not about my personal advantage; I am very lucky that I am healthy and wealthy. Not all Americans are so it’s important for me to speak to people. I need to speak for them also.”

“The press has not always been kind to you…”

“Present company certainly excluded.”

CJ smiled as their drinks arrived. She ordered a plate of grilled chicken and pasta in spicy marinara. She was hungry and hoped lunch would arrive soon. Nora was in the mood for a garden salad with chicken, honey mustard on the side. Greg declined to order. He did so again after gentle prodding from CJ that he should eat something.

“You look a bit thin. Does he look paler to you Nora…circles under his eyes?”

“A little bit. Eat something; you won't have to pay. Are you working too hard Greg?”

“I'm fine. Thank you Mrs. McGarry, I'm fine. I would like to talk a bit about your relationship with the press.”

“Tread lightly.” Her Chief of Staff warned. Her voice still had the sweet, steady lilt to it but he knew she was serious.

“You just did an article and the cover of W magazine?”

“Yes.”

“It was an article about the power of women, in particular women in their 40s. They call them Generation W.”

“Yes.”

“What do you believe their power to be?”

“Firstly, I recommend people read the article; it’s very well thought out and written. Secondly, women are an integral part of our society. In addition to being mothers, which is a very important job, they comprise a large percentage of the working population. From blue collar to white collar, they are a piece of every part of the occupational puzzle. Still, in 2009, they are not taken as seriously as they should be. Their voices are not always listened to; their thoughts and opinions tend to be undermined.”

“You are not always taken seriously Mrs. McGarry. You have been called a trophy wife, a celebutante, power hungry, manipulative…”

“Gregory, if you don’t stop saying such lovely things about me I am going to blush.”

“How do these jabs make you feel?”

“I don’t like it, but it comes with the territory. Some people like me and some people do not. I cannot live my life for those who don’t; I can't even live my life for those who do. All I can do is be CJ McGarry. I follow my heart and my gut. I try to be a good wife, a good mother, a good friend, and a voice for those who find they do not have one.”

“Follow your gut ma'am? How is that possible with a staff of at least four with you constantly and a Secret Service team of seven?”

“The Secret Service is here for my protection. Some people out there would hurt me just for the 15 minutes of fame. I would be stupid not to protect my family and myself. I don't quite understand the point of your question.”

“Are you ever not on? Is it ever not a show, with cameras, fans, haters for lack of a better term, and hangers-on?”

“You may think it is a show, hell sometimes I think it’s a show, but it’s my life. I surround myself with people I can trust and that number is small. I have to both protect myself from a fickle press and public while simultaneously opening my arms to them. There is a tightrope that I balance on daily, trying not to fall over and cause injury to myself.”

“You are one of the most popular people in the world ma'am. How do you handle the push for your time and attention?”

“I don’t get enough sleep.” CJ said laughing. “I have learned to live my life in the open. Is it something I enjoy? Not particularly. I know, however, that there are two sides to every coin. For all the good things I do and the issues I take to heart and mind, I deal with the sometimes unwelcome invasion on my life. In the end, it does not matter whether I like it or not, it is still going to be.”

“What are the issues near and dear to your heart right now?” Greg asked.

“Alzheimer’s, as always. It is imperative that we work to find a cure. At the very least we need to have a better understanding of the disease; find out why some people’s brains fight the ravages longer than others are able to. Women and children’s issues, nationally and globally, are important to me. Healthcare, childcare, equal pay for equal work, mistreatment on all levels… issues politicians like to sweep under the rug. I will also be focusing on the AIDS epidemic in the second Administration, if we have one.”

“AIDS is one of the First Lady’s platforms.”

Before CJ could answer, their lunch arrived. She was grateful as her stomach was practically empty and the glass of wine she consumed made her heady. She and Nora both ordered sweetened iced tea before she thanked the server for their meal. He walked away blushing.

“I'm sorry Greg, you were saying?”

“You canceled an appearance with the First Lady in Philadelphia for an Action AIDS benefit at Villanova University.”

Nora looked up. This was what she had been waiting for. She did not want CJ to fall into a trap. The Second Lady just smiled.

“I did not cancel…I was unable to schedule to attend. It was the same night as my keynote speech at the Girls Scouts of America Convention in Dallas. I can do many things, but cannot be in two places at once.”

“So your not being there had nothing to do with rumored tension between your office and the First Lady’s?” he asked.

“Don’t answer that.” Nora said flatly.

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

CJ sipped the tea placed in front of her. Wow, that was good. She cleared her throat. For a while she and Greg had a staring contest that he lost.

“Mrs. McGarry?”

“Ask a question and I will be sure to answer it.”

“I have.”

Nora went to say something but CJ stopped her. Taking a deep breath in through her nose and out of her mouth, she spoke.

“I've always been a favorite of reporters, whether the attention is negative or positive. I have known quite a few of them since my early days on the Bartlet for America campaign. When you spend day in and day out with people you think you know them and vice-versa. While the majority of reporters are fair minded people, they are not in business for themselves. They are in the business of selling papers. Their editors want juicy things to bite on that will send circulation up. They create things, masterpieces really, out of scraps of conversations and the plentiful unnamed sources. There is no ‘thing’ between the First Lady and I. Helen Santos is a wonderful, capable woman and we play for the same team.”

“So there is no jealousy?” Greg pressed.

“What reason would I have to be jealous? I wouldn’t wish what we go through sometimes on anyone.”

“I was speaking of her, jealous of you.”

“Then you are asking the wrong person.”

“CJ.” Nora hissed. “This line of questioning is over. Please move on.”

“So, AIDS, family issues, and of course Alzheimer’s Disease. They are all noble causes. Could you discuss a bit how you find time to do all you do and spend time with your family?”

“My office is run like a normal office. I don’t like having to work people past seven unless we have to…I want them to go home to their families and me to mine. In the summer when Timothy and Charlotte are out of school I like to have them traveling with me. The Second Lady’s caravan is definitely a family affair.”

“They also have a nanny, right?”

“Mitch has been with us since Tim was nine weeks old. He is indispensable to both me and my children.”

“He is counted amongst your small group of trusted confidantes?”

“Yes.”

“What about the Vice-President ma'am? How much time do you actually get to spend with your husband that you are not on?”

“I don’t understand the question.”

“Private time.”

“They call it that for a reason Gregory.”

“C’mon Mrs. McGarry, you are being quite elusive.”

“I am not. A few things are still mine to keep.”

“Both you and your husband spend much time in the spotlight, together and apart. How much time do you get to just be CJ and Leo?”

Leo was in Denmark currently, for the King of that country’s 80th birthday celebration. CJ would be joining him in two days for what was supposed to be the party to end all parties. She bought a special blue dress that her husband thought brought out her eyes and she modeled it for him the night before he left. They also watched In The Line of Fire and made love with such enthusiasm that Sylvie called to make sure the protectee was alright. CJ stifled laughter just thinking about the tone of Leo's voice when he answered the phone and found out just what the agent's inquiry was.

“I wished we had more time together but you would be surprised how much time we manage to carve out for ourselves in the present circumstance. Its important to have family time and we even manage to rejuvenate ourselves nicely with our busy schedules.”

“Is his health still a concern?”

“No health questions.” Nora said simply. “The Vice-President has a physical twice a year and the results are a matter of public record. Next.”

Greg looked as if he wanted to object, try to get something straight from the source, but he thought better of it.

“If you could do one thing differently, what would that be?”

CJ looked at Nora, surprised she let that one slide. It had several volatile answers and a plethora of lasting repercussions. The Second Lady sipped her iced tea and took a deep breath.

“I definitely wouldn’t have taken Potomac while bike riding the other day. Those hills are bad for my knees.”

Greg smiled but wanted a better answer than that. He told her so.

“I don’t know. Everything happens for a reason; at least I think it does. If I spent my life sifting through the past looking for regrets and mistakes I would miss everything happening right now. Things happen, I roll with the punches, I dust myself off when I fall, and hold up my chin for the next thing. Tal and Maureen raised me strong.”

“Do you miss your father CJ…I'm sorry, Mrs. McGarry?”

She didn’t see that question coming. It was the sheer passage of time that stopped her from getting emotional at the sound of his name and the thought of him. They did not have the best relationship; it had many ups and downs. It didn’t get better after her marriage, which had its own share. One thing CJ felt blessed and lucky for though, before her father lost everything, including his mind, he was able to tell her how much he loved her and how proud he was of her. That memory of him, her very last, was the one she held nearest and dearest to her heart. The sad thing was she missed her father more for the things they didn’t have than for the things they shared. Both Nora and Leo told her she would not always feel that way. She prayed they were right.

“Of course I do. My life was quite busy the last years of his life and I was not able to…” she paused and collected herself. “You asked me what I would do differently; I would have spent more time with himr before he was too ill to know who I was.”

They were all quiet for a moment, and then CJ excused herself to the ladies room. Sylvie went with her. Greg pushed pause on the recorder and focused on Nora. She seemed to be there but her mind was somewhere else at the moment. She was probably going over the 160 things CJ had to do before getting on a plane to Copenhagen. Greg thought it would be fantastic to sit down and pick the Chief of Staff’s brain. First Leo’s go-to “guy” and then his wife’s. She had been down hallways and through doors often closed to what some referred to as the fairer sex.

“How much more time do I have?” he asked.

“15 minutes or so. You're getting more time than anyone because you are one of the Second Lady’s favorite people. Ease up on the defensive questions.”

“I'm one of CJ McGarry’s favorite people?” 

“Just ease up Greg.”

“I'm a journalist Nora, its my job. If I'm seen as looking soft then what's the point? You know as well as I do if I would have overstepped my bounds this interview would be over. We are mostly on the same side.”

The Chief of Staff nodded though said nothing else. CJ returned, eating the rest of her lunch. Greg asked her about the books, articles, and scathing editorials written about her and her marriage all in the name of social commentary.

“I can't control what people think or what they choose to take as truth.”

“But to have people think you are what some of those people say, it has to hurt.”

“That’s silly, of course it hurts. Its hurts my friends and my family too. I don’t have enough hours in my day to counter every attack aimed at me. Anyway, commenting on some of the sludge would only legitimize it. If my staff, my husband, or I think something needs to be addressed, we address it. It’s that other side of the coin thing again.”

“You are a celebrity, whether that was ever your intention or not.”

“I want to state for the record it was not.”

“So, you're a celebrity but most wither at referring to you as a politician. You have a serious job to do but it has to co-exist with magazine covers, interviews, and the paparazzi. How do you keep perspective on what's real and what isn’t?”

“I don’t like to think of myself as a politician either, though most of my adult life has been spent in politics. Fist and foremost, in this life I lead right now, I am Mrs. Leo McGarry, Second Lady of the United States. It affords me a platform on which issues that concern me are brought into the national and international conversation. Even if I were not that woman I would still be doing that job. We live in different times though. In the 1950s, 60s, and even the 70s, politics and celebrity were exclusive of one another. They no longer are and many of us, particularly women, carry the double responsibility of being watched, critiqued, admired and abhorred by many more than the CNN set. Being a role model is significant to me. I want to be someone my children can look up and an inspiring figure to young people. There are not enough of us out there right now...at least we are not getting the spotlight as much as the negative side of fame. While I did lose some things in the equation, I gained plenty.”

“What did you lose?”

“Privacy, trust; that delicious ability to go to the grocery store in grubby sweats and a cap. I lost the chance to tell people to shove it when they say derogatory things about me or my loved ones.” She shrugged. “But I have gained a stage to talk about pertinent issues. I have gained supporters who will carry the discussion to their backyard and to the people they want to listen. I have gained a perspective on things I never could have in any other position.”

“Comparisons to Jackie O still abound.”

CJ cringed, happy no one could see that on tape. She hated that damn comparison. Yet she smiled.

“I am flattered. I will say again, however, she was First Lady and I am Second Lady.”

“Any First Lady aspirations Mrs. McGarry?”

“Absolutely not. I am just trying to make it to the weekend. While I do not know what the future holds, I can say with absolute confidence it does not hold that.”

“If your husband chose to run?”

“I would kill him. Infer what you will from that statement.”

“One more question ma'am…off the record.” He stopped the recorder and Nora raised her eyebrow. “Are you ever not absolutely stunning?”

Greg grinned and CJ laughed.

“Sunday mornings, ask people who know me and they will tell you. I didn’t become this, this woman they all call beautiful, until I was 35. Hand to God.”

They all laughed and the reporter winked.

“I thank you for your time and your honesty, Mrs. McGarry. It is always an illuminating experience. Nora.”

“Greg.”

He shook hands with her and graciously accepted a kiss on the cheek from CJ.

“Have a good afternoon.”

“Thank you Mrs. McGarry. Goodbye.”

They headed for a side exit to avoid the crowd though CJ did wave to some people outside who shouted her name. In the limo she exhaled; glad to have it over with. Without speaking, Nora reached into her Dooney and Burke purse, pulled out two cigarettes, lit them and handed one to CJ. She asked her primary Agent if he minded; Bill shook his head, turning on the fan and closing the partition separating the front from the back.

“God bless you.”

“You did good…Greg did good.”

“I get sick to death of that First Lady stuff.” She said. “Past and present.”

“Your answer about the latter didn’t help. It is going to fuel all kinds of speculation.”

“I don’t care.”

“Obviously. Jack will talk to him in the next couple of days. We want to see that interview before it goes to press.”

“Greg won't like that.”

“Last time I checked I did not get paid to concern myself wholly with Greg’s feelings. Not beyond keeping him happy enough not to turn on us anyway.”

“He wouldn’t do that.” she took a deep inhale of the cigarette and put it out.

“Of course he wouldn’t. Not as much as he adores the beautiful Mrs. McGarry.”

“I believe I was referred to as stunning. Shut up.” She thumped her arm and Nora thumped her back. “I need to go home and pack.”

“You haven’t yet? God, I packed days ago.”

“Well excuuuuse me, Miss way ahead of time.”

Nora licked out her tongue and they fell over laughing.

“Really though, I need to pack. Lewis…?”

She rolled down the partition as Nora put out her cigarette.

“Yes ma'am?”

“We’re going straight to the Observatory.”

“Yes ma'am.”

CJ’s cell phone rang. The ring tone was Your Smiling Face; she knew who it was.

“Hey there Mr. Vice-President.”

“Hey baby. I miss you.”

“We will be together in a few days. What time is it in Copenhagen?”

“About 10. I was on my way to bed actually; wanted to call and get a proper goodnight. Are you alone?”

“I'm with Nora.”

“Can you kick her out?”

“Sure.” CJ said laughing. “If I want her to hitchhike back to the Naval Observatory.”

“Damn.”

“Sweet dreams Leopold…I will see you soon.”

“I love you Claudia Jean.”

“I love you more.”

What Leo loved most was the relative calm in their marriage right now. They made it over the hurdle of him becoming the nominee without her input and then the second blow of him wanting to run again after the Democrats finally took back the House.

“Mmm, I can't wait to see you. You are going to make a splash in that dress.”

“Damn right. Go to sleep; call me tomorrow.”

“I will. Bye baby, I love you.”

“Bye Leo.”

She flipped her phone closed and looked at her best friend.

“In these few precious moments I remember why I love that man with every fiber of my being.”

“I'm sure. Did he want you to talk dirty to him?”

“Yep.”

“Ah yes…the proper goodnight.”

They both laughed, CJ rolling her eyes. Men, their men, never changed.

***


End file.
